Republicans command midterm election edge in new poll

Republicans are in a stronger positionthan Democrats ahead of this year’s midterm elections, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, even though the GOP itself is deeply divided and most Americans agree more with Democratic policy positions. The Republicans benefit from support of self-described independents, who continue to sour on President Barack Obama’s job performance. Among respondents, 42% say they’ll back Republicans in November and 39% say they’ll support Democrats.

House Democrats are trying to force a vote on raising the minimum wage, the Hill reports. They filed a so-called discharge petition that would force a vote on increasing the wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25, but there’s a catch. At least 218 House members need to sign it, and Democrats control 199 seats. Republicans are against increasing the minimum wage, particularly after a congressional report said it would cost 500,000 jobs.

Paul Ryan, “reserved” on tax reform. That’s how Politico describes the reaction of the Wisconsin Republican who heads the House Budget Committee to a proposal released Wednesday from Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp. Ryan applauded Camp’s “courage” for releasing the overhaul but ducked questions about its substance and simply said he’s excited to start a conversation about rewriting the tax code.

How’s this for a diss: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid charged that the conservative Koch brothers are “un-American.” Reid said ads against Obamacare being run by a Koch-backed group go too far and that Charles and David Koch are trying to “buy” America. “It’s too bad that they’re trying to buy America, and it’s time that the American people spoke out against this terrible dishonesty of these two brothers who are about as un-American as anyone I can imagine,” Reid said on the Senate floor. Read Washington Post story.

Peter Orszag, President Obama’s former budget chief, is fighting furiously to keep his finances out of the public eye. National Journal reports Orszag is battling media organizations over access to financial records that will be used as exhibits in his upcoming child-support trial in D.C. Superior Court. Orszag left government service for a job at Citigroup.